Livingston man shot by CHP officer charged with attempted murder

A man shot in June by a California Highway Patrol officer in Livingston has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assaulting a peace officer, court records show.

Raul X. Maldonado, 24, was shot June 23 at his home on Linden Court after he slashed the face of Officer Nick Brownfield, authorities said. Officers fired stun guns at Maldonado but, Livingston police said, he advanced again wielding some type of blade and Brownfield fired a gunshot, which “grazed” Maldonado’s leg.

The incident was the culmination of a series of 911 calls Maldonado made that night from his cellphone, Livingston police Lt. Chris Soria said.

“The calls went to the CHP because it was a cellphone. He was making several statements (to dispatchers) of a sexual nature and then made other statements (about law enforcement) that were threatening,” Soria said.

CHP officers went to the home essentially to instruct him to stop calling 911, Soria said. “They called us for backup because of the threatening statements,” he said.

Maldonado’s grandmother let the officers inside and they found him in an upstairs bedroom. The confrontation ended with the officer firing one shot after suffering the facial injury, police said.

Brownfield missed some work due to his injury and was also briefly placed on administrative leave, a standard procedure in officer-involved shootings, authorities said.

Brownfield has since returned to duty, CHP Officer Moises Onsurez said.

Police do not believe drugs or alcohol played a factor in the incident, but have not ruled out the possibility of a mental-health issue, authorities said.

The shooting remains under review by the investigators and prosecutors with the Merced County District Attorney’s Office, Chief Investigator Pat Lunney said Friday.

Maldonado has been charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon. He pleaded not guilty June 29 in Merced Superior Court. He is due back in court July 22.

He remains in custody at the John Latorraca Correctional Facility on $1 million bail, jail records show.

This story was originally published July 10, 2015 at 6:16 PM with the headline "Livingston man shot by CHP officer charged with attempted murder."